John 14:23-29

Jesus answered Judas (not Iscariot), "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. "I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

You heard me say to you, "I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.

After a two week hiatus I have been invited to return to the task of preaching. In order to earn back this honor and privilege I had to promise that I would never again talk about ripping the lips off of a fish, which was the primary illustration of my last sermon! So instead, we’re going to talk about stewardship. Although, I think some of you would rather talk about ripping the lips off of fish!

Today is commitment Sunday – a day when you are asked to establish (or reestablish) your commitment to the ministry of Christ’s church with your financial resources, time, abilities, and ideas.

I’ve had to be reminded on several occasions that the term “commitment” is intentional and important at Cross of Grace. Conversely, I grew up in, and served as pastor to, congregations who used the word “pledge.” A parishioner would write down their financial pledge on a pledge card and drop in in the offering plate. A pledge, by its very definition, is a non-binding declaration of an intention to contribute something of value.

Remember that next time you think about the Pledge of Allegiance. By calling it a “pledge” we are voicing our non-binding declaration of an intention to contribute something of value. Kind of cheapens it a bit, doesn’t it? The words we said every day when school started – the words our kids say every day still now – are a non-binding declaration of an intention to contribute something of value. That doesn’t sound right.

The financial commitment card we have asked you to fill out – as well as the time and talent sheets that we hope also ends up in our offering plate – they are more than a non-binding declaration of an intention to contribute something of value. A commitment is an obligation (which I realize has a negative connotation) but it’s true nonetheless. A commitment is a binding declaration of an intention to contribute something of value.

A pledge is what you say when you recite rote words before the American flag. A commitment is what you do when you enlist to serve your country.

A pledge is what you do when you show up in a congregation. A commitment is what you do when you look at the world God has blessed you with and say, “I have something of value to give in response to God’s love that I have felt in this place.”

So let’s make sure we’re all on the same page here. What we are asking for today – what we are celebrating today – is your binding declaration of your commitment to the mission and financial health of our church and the church throughout the world.

I doubt that I ever made a pledge when I was growing up in the church. But I know that I made a commitment. It was a commitment learned from my parents who decided that regular participation in worship and the life of the church would be part of my life from my earliest days. It was a commitment shaped in response to the people from St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Bowling Green, Ohio and St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in Archbold, Ohio – the people from every generation who took me under their wing, supported me unconditionally, and gave me a glimpse of what a congregation serving Christ was capable of. It was a commitment to dedicate my vocation to serving people and preaching the good news of grace through Jesus Christ.

Once you make a commitment to the church, your life is changed. You are no longer on the path of your own choosing. It’s a bit like falling in love – you cannot possibly know when it will happen, but when it does, everything changes. It’s permanent and it’s transformational. All of the sudden you are invested, you have a stake, you are bound together.

I am a product of a church that loved me unconditionally. That’s why I’ve committed my life to its service. I am a Christian. I am a Christ-follower. I am a sinner. I am a saint. And I am committed to spreading the truth that God is not a distant, detached being somewhere in outer space, but rather a loving God who lives among us and intends to transform the world around us so that all people may know the truth about the power of forgiveness, love, and grace.

If you’re not ready to fill out your commitment card or your time and talent form, then don’t fill it out. If you cannot imagine committing to the life and ministry and well-being of the church, don’t just turn in something to feel better about yourself or because it seems like everyone else is doing it. Take it seriously. Think deeply. What are the gifts that you have received as a part of Christ’s church? What do you have to share with others?

If you have received nothing, than you have nothing to give, and that’s my fault as much as anyone else’s. But I think that you are here today because you have received something. And if you've received something that means you have something to give back – something that someone else in our congregation or community will receive as a gift. This is precisely how the church will continue to thrive for another 2,000 years.

Jesus told his disciples, “Those who love me will keep my word…Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.”

The dollar amount you indicate on your commitment card does not indicate whether you love Jesus or not. Signing up for the most ministries on the time and talent sheet doesn’t earn your salvation. To say otherwise would be outright manipulation. But the truth remains that God desires your love and commitment. Commit to Christ’s church what you can of your finances, time, and talent. And do it with seriousness, faith, and trust that God will work through this motley crew of saints and sinners to bring grace to a world so desperate for good news.

Amen.

John 21:1-19

After Jesus appeared to his followers in Jerusalem, he showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.
When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

At the summer camp in Ohio where Lindsey and I worked, there was a pond. In this pond were fish. To my knowledge, no one ever ate the fish that were caught in the pond. We simply threw them back into the water, over and over again.

Now, when I say “we” I am referring to everyone except me. I will never be confused with a fisherman. I can barely muster up the courage to pierce a worm with a hook. Now, when I say, “I can barely muster up the courage,” I mean, I cannot muster up the courage. Every time I took kids to fish in the pond, I teamed up with another counselor who would handle all of the parts dealing with hooks either going into or out of wiggling, convulsing creatures.

One morning when we were fishing, and when I say “we” I mean “they;” when they were fishing, a kid reeled in a fish. I happily let the other counselor grab the fish, release the hook, and toss it back into the water. Except that at nearly the exact same time, another kid caught a fish; and then another kid caught a fish. Three fish on hooks; two counselors. The other counselor was busy. It was up to me to touch the fish, release the hook, and toss it back into the water.

The problem was that every time I touched the fish, it moved…and creeped me out. I must have tried a half a dozen times to grab hold of the fish without throwing up. I finally got hold of it. I grabbed the hook and tried to wiggle it out.

Recall, I said we never ate the fish, we simply threw them back into the water, over and over again. Well, this particular fish had been caught dozens of times before. How do I know this? The fish’s “lip” (do fish have lips?) was perforated like a piece of paper designed to be torn in two.

I grabbed the hook, tried to wiggle it out, and the whole lip – a perfect circle – came off with it. I returned the fish to the pond. Now, when I say I “returned the fish to the pond,” I mean that I screamed and threw the fish like a fastball into the water.

I’m no fisherman.

But I love John’s story of Jesus’ fishermen disciples. Because while I’m not a fisherman, I am a Christian who is committed to the Christ’s work in this world through the church. And as it turns out, fishing and being a Christian, and being a part of a church, are very similar endeavors.

Recall from the gospel story last week that Jesus had already appeared to the disciples two times since being raised from the dead. The most earth-shattering event in history had just unfolded, and what were the disciples doing? Fishing! Not fishing for men, as Jesus had instructed them; but fishing for fish.

This strikes me as similar to someone undergoing a serious and complicated surgery that saves their life, only to spend the rest of their days lying on the couch watching TV. Everything the disciples had learned, witnessed and experienced had prepared them for lives of courageous service and miracle-working…not fishing.

No wonder, then, that Jesus appears to them a third time. The disciples still don’t get it!

And yet, Jesus doesn’t come with judgmental or condemning words. In fact, he gives them a pointer on how to actually catch the fish they’re fishing for. The secret, the unbelievable secret, the secret that no one else seemed to consider throughout the evening…put out the net on the other side of the boat! It’s an invitation to try again, even after failing all night long.

The disciples end up with quite a haul of fish – 135 big ‘ens. They realize the mysterious man on the shore with the incredible fishing advice was Jesus. So they come ashore, and find that Jesus has already provided them with bread and fish. And yet, Jesus invites them to contribute a portion of their haul to the beachside barbecue.

There is an important connection between this scene and our life of faith. We are commissioned – called and sent – at our baptism to share in the work and ministry of our Lord.

And yet we often fall short, failing to give witness in word or deed to our faith in the living Lord.

And yet Jesus doesn’t just call and send us, Jesus also forgives us when we fall short.

And Jesus doesn’t just forgive us, but calls us to try again.

And Jesus doesn’t just call us to try again, Jesus also invites us to share what we have and gives us meaningful work to do.

Is it possible that we as a church have failed to give witness in word or deed to our faith in the living Lord?

Is it possible that Jesus has forgiven us for falling short?

Is it possible that Jesus is calling us to try again?

Is it possible that Jesus is inviting us to share what we have? Is it possible Jesus is giving us meaningful work to do?

It’s more than possible; it’s a fact. What you do matters. As parents or children, siblings or friends, employees or volunteers, citizens or neighbors, you are called to look for opportunities to care for the people and world God loves so much.

Do you love Jesus? If so, you are to care for the people and world God loves so much.

Do you love Jesus? If so, then you need to take some risks.

Do you love Jesus? If so, then live in a way that honors the fact that Jesus has destroyed the power of death.

Like Peter, we too will deny Jesus. We will convince ourselves we have nothing to offer anyone. We will follow the path of certainty, even if it is certainly leading to death. But like Peter, we will have as many opportunities to serve God as we have denied Jesus.

We are called to be fishers of men.

Some of us will get sea sick – we’ll want to leave the church because it navigates the rough waters of faith instead of resting on the solid ground of certainty.

Some of us will get queasy at the idea of touching a fish – reaching out with compassion to someone different from you; someone who is struggling and afraid.

Some of us will become impatient after not catching anything all night long – we look around and wonder, “Shouldn’t our church be growing more and doing more?”

And some of us will forget that Jesus has already provided everything we need to survive and thrive and is inviting us to rest and enjoy God’s provision.

I don’t know if you like to fish for fish. But each one of us, regardless of our age, physical ability, or sense of faith, is called to fish for people. We will get sea sick, queasy, impatient and forgetful. But by proclaiming God’s grace through Jesus Christ, by caring for those in need, by loving those who have been disregarded, we will be living lives that give honor to God and ourselves.

May Cross of Grace Lutheran Church be a boat navigating the rough waters of faith. May this church be patient through the lonely nights. May this church be willing to risk failure by tossing the net off the other side of the boat. And may this church never lose sight of Jesus who provides all we need and guides us safely to shore.

Amen.

Commitment – John 14:23-29

"From the Lips of Fish" – John 21:1-19